Third Person POV
Back By The Wall
The guards arrived by ship to deliver a letter sent by the queen. As they neared the shore, they saw some residents, and upon landing, one of the guards held up the letter.
"What do you want?" a woman shouted, her eyes widening and her body posture looking ready to attack.
"Come out, everyone! They've come to attack!" she yelled.
Women, men, and children emerged from their houses, armed with sticks, knives, and bows.
"What do you want from us?" a man asked, gripping his bow.
"Killing our children wasn't enough for you?"
The guard holding the letter stepped forward, extending it.
"We apologize for our unexpected arrival, but the queen has sent a letter to you."
The villagers eyed them suspiciously.
"A letter? What letter? Stay back!" a woman shouted.
"We promise not to harm you. The letter is from the Queen. Some of your children are alive and safe, while the others died due to their own stubbornness and unexpected entry into our territory," the guard explained.
Layla's mother broke down in tears. "You killed my daughter? My Layla? How could you?" she sobbed.
The guard gently replied, "Do not worry, miss. Your daughter is in safe hands. She's alive, and nothing happened to her."
Layla's mother lifted her head, her tears subsiding as she approached the guard. "Layla is alive? My daughter is alive?" She began smiling, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Yes, she's safe," the guard said, exchanging a smile with his fellow guard.
"My daughter is alive, Layla is alive!" she exclaimed, dropping the stick she held and covering her mouth with both hands as tears overflowed.
"Release our children, please! Give them back to us, we promise not to attack anymore, just hand them back," a woman pleaded, kneeling on the floor with her hands together, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Please let them go!" she cried.
The guard approached her, "Please, ma'am, rise to your feet. You can come with us to see your children. Get up now." But she insisted, "No, no, I want to see them now!"
The rest of the villagers knelt, dropping their weapons and joining their hands together, weeping uncontrollably.
One of the guards whispered to his fellow, "This isn't right." The other nodded in agreement.
The guard addressed the villagers, "You should all come with us. Return to your land and live with us. The queen has sent us to bring you back. She wrote a letter, and I'll read it to you." He cleared his throat and began:
"Dear people of Somber Lake, I'm sorry for the bloodshed that occurred ten years ago. The person responsible has paid the price with their life. I apologise for not reaching out to you personally, because your hatred for me seemed to have grown.
Please return, return to your Homeland and meet your children. I don't want any of you to live there anymore, I want you home.
My late husband, the king was responsible for what happened, and I personally killed him.
If you still have doubts, then I'm willing to dethrone myself and hand myself to you, to do to me whatever pleases you.
Please return my people. Return to your Homeland.
A plea from the Queen."
The guards exchanged furrowed glances, wondering if the queen would truly go so far.
One of them knelt, "All of you, please forgive us and come with us. The queen has been so merciful, and if she's willing to dethrone herself and hand herself over to you, then please, take me instead. I might not be able to take the pain away from your hearts, but please return and forgive the queen." He removed his cap, holding it to his chest and bowing his head.
The villagers looked confused, exchanging glances as they slowly stood up.
"She'd do that?" the villagers kept murmuring to themselves.
The guard still remained on the ground, and the rest of the guards followed suit, kneeling and removing their caps, bowing their heads in unison. The villagers looked on, confused.
Layla's mother stepped forward, kneeling beside one of the guards.
"I'll come with you," she said, tears streaming down her face.
"Since my late husband was loyal to the king, I choose to be loyal to the queen and come with you."
She gently placed the guard's cap back on his head. "I forgive you."
The guard smiled, helping her to her feet.
"Thank you so much."
Layla's mother turned to face the villagers. "Please, let's forget those memories and move on with our lives. Let's return home and be happy. We can't keep living with the pain of their deaths. Let's go with them."
The villagers began to nod in agreement.
"I agree with you. I'm willing," a woman said.
"Me too," another woman added, already sobbing.
"I forgive the queen," a little boy said, rubbing his eyes as he cried.
A guard walked over to the little boy and picked him up, comforting him. "Don't cry."
The little boy wrapped his arms around the guard's neck, and a smile spread across his face.
Another little girl approached, tugging on the guard's clothes.
"Cawwy me too!" she said. The guard looked down and smiled.
"No, no, go meet another uncle," the little boy said to her, causing his mother to chuckle as she wiped away her tears.
"Cawwy me uncle," the little girl persisted.
"Carry me up too!" another little boy said, walking over to the guard.
"Me too!" another child added.
The children began to argue, vying for the guard's attention.
The guard laughed, "Oh, um, haha!" Unsure of what to do.
The boy in his arms giggled at his reaction. "You're laughing, huh?"
The guard playfully booped the boy's nose, making him laugh even harder.